Beware Untested Diet Pills

Beware Untested Diet Pills continued...

These drugs are all moderately useful and approved for use over various
periods of time, says Heymsfield. But increasingly we are seeing these used in
combinations or cocktails to decrease side effects and maintain weight loss,
which tends to slow over time. Phen-pro is a weight-loss cocktail that combines
phentermine with Prozac or other antidepressants. The use of the antidepressant
in these cocktails is not to treat depression. No one is quite sure exactly why
these combinations appear to improve weight loss. Some doctors also will
prescribe combinations of Xenical or Meridia with phentermine.

Along with the cocktails, other drugs are increasingly being used for weight
loss, says Heymsfield. Some of these include:

Topamax, an antiseizure medication approved for use in the treatment of
epilepsy

Wellbutrin, an antidepressant

Using prescription drugs that aren't officially approved by the FDA for
weight loss is commonplace, but the doctor needs to be very, very careful, says
Heymsfield. You don't want a truck driver or someone who operates heavy
machinery taking an antiseizure medication because fatigue or euphoria can be a
side effect.

And medical researchers are pressing very hard to develop new weight-loss
pills. One of the most promising drugs in development is Axokine, says
Heymsfield. It is in the final phase of testing, and it not only looks like it
will be important for weight loss, but it may also help people with type 2
diabetes.